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Python Classes and Inheritance

Approx. 17 hours to complete

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Course Summary

This course explores advanced concepts of Python programming language, specifically classes and inheritance. It covers object-oriented programming principles and how to create class hierarchies, as well as best practices for utilizing inheritance and polymorphism in Python.

Key Learning Points

Learn advanced Python programming concepts like classes and inheritance
Understand object-oriented programming principles and how to apply them in Python
Discover best practices for utilizing inheritance and polymorphism in Python

Learning Outcomes

Understand advanced Python programming concepts and how to apply them in real-world scenarios
Design and create class hierarchies in Python
Utilize inheritance and polymorphism effectively in Python

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of Python programming
Familiarity with fundamental programming concepts like variables, functions, loops, and conditionals

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online self-paced course
Video lectures
Hands-on coding exercises
Quizzes and assessments

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Python Data Structures
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Python Programming Essentials

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Creator of Python
Python Core Developer

Related Books

Description

This course introduces classes, instances, and inheritance. You will learn how to use classes to represent data in concise and natural ways. You'll also learn how to override built-in methods and how to create "inherited" classes that reuse functionality. You'll also learn about how to design classes. Finally, you will be introduced to the good programming habit of writing automated tests for their own code.

The course is best-suited for you if you are already familiar with Python fundamentals, which are covered in the "Python Basics" and "Python Functions, Files, and Dictionaries" courses (courses 1 and 2 of the Python 3 Programming Specialization). It is optional to have taken the "Data Collection and Processing with Python" course (course 3 of the specialization), but knowledge of retrieving and processing complex nested data is helpful. This is the fourth of five courses in the Python 3 Programming Specialization.

Outline

Classes
Introduction to the Specialization
Welcome to Python Classes and Inheritance
How to Use the Interactive Textbook
User-Defined Classes
Adding Parameters to the Constructor
Adding Other Methods to a Class
Instance Variable Search Order
Example: Creating Instances from Data
Converting an Object to a String
Special (dunderscore) Methods
Instances as Return Values
Sorting Lists of Instances
Class Variables and Instance Variables
Thinking About Classes and Instances
Syllabus
Help Us Learn More About You!
Introduction: Classes and Objects - The Basics
Objects Revisited
User Defined Classes
Adding Parameters to the Constructor
Adding Other Methods to a Class
Objects as Arguments and Parameters
Converting an Object to a String
Instances as Return Values
Sorting Lists of Instances
Class Variables and Instance Variables
Thinking About Classes and Instances
A Tamagotchi Game
Optional - What Did You Use to Practice This Week?

Inheritance
Inheriting Variables and Methods
Overriding Methods
Invoking the Parent Class's Method
Introduction: Class Inheritance
Inheriting Variables and Methods
Overriding Methods
Invoking the Parent Class's Method
Tamagotchi Revisited
Optional - What Did You Use to Practice This Week?

Unit Testing and Exceptions
Introduction: Test Cases
The test.testEqual Function
Return Value Tests
Side Effect Tests
Program Development with Test Cases
Testing Classes
Conclusion: Test Cases
Exception Handling Flow-of-control
When to use Try/Except
Handling Different Exception Types
Introduction to Django
How Django Uses Classes and Inheritance
Introduction - Final Course Project
The test.testEqual Function
Writing Test Cases for Functions
Program Development
Testing Classes
What is an Exception?
Exception Handling Flow-of-control
Raising and Catching Errors
When to use Try/Except
Standard Exceptions
Course Feedback
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Summary of User Reviews

Learn Python Classes and Inheritance with Coursera. Students love this course for its clear explanations and practical examples.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

The practical examples provided in the course are highly appreciated by the users.

Pros from User Reviews

Clear explanations of concepts
Practical examples
Well-structured modules
Engaging assignments
Great for beginners

Cons from User Reviews

Limited interaction with instructors
Some sections are too basic
Not enough advanced topics covered
No live sessions
Some users found it too slow-paced

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